A 46-year-old man, surnamed Hsieh (謝), was transferred to the New Taipei District Court Prosecutors’ Office for further questioning yesterday, after allegedly killing his wife and sister-in-law in New Taipei City’s Tucheng District (土城) on Monday.
The man, who has a criminal record of domestic abuse, allegedly rammed his car into his 42-year-old wife and her 33-year-old younger sister, both surnamed Chang (張), before stabbing the two to death on Section 2 of Mingde Road at about 11am on Monday morning.
Hsieh was allegedly unhappy that his wife had applied for a restraining order against him in May.
Photo: Hsu Sheng-lun, Taipei Times
Upon his arrest, Hsieh wept and said he had a mental illness, but police suspect the killings were premeditated, as he reportedly purchased the murder weapons the day before the incident.
Hsieh has a record of multiple domestic abuse incidents from 2023, police said.
His wife applied for a temporary restraining order against Hsieh in May, which was granted on June 25 following a domestic abuse incident and prevented him from seeing his two daughters.
Hsieh has been unemployed for some time and returned to his hometown in Pingtung County after the restraining order was issued, but he returned to New Taipei for a court hearing, investigators said.
Hsieh allegedly broke the conditions of the restraining order on Saturday, going to his wife’s residence to collect his personal belongings, during which he had an argument with her.
As Hsieh began shouting and throwing things, she called the police, who apprehended Hsieh for breaking the conditions of the restraining order.
The New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office granted Hsieh bail on Sunday.
The husband and wife appeared in family court at the New Taipei City District Court on Monday morning, after which the Chang sisters returned home by scooter.
Hsieh followed the pair back to his wife’s residence and allegedly rammed his car into their scooter, then got out of the car with a knife and a metal baton and allegedly stabbed the two to death on the street, police said. Both sisters died.
After the incident, Hsieh wrote on Facebook that he had killed his wife and her sister, saying he was giving a “friendly heads-up” and notifying his brother-in-law to go to the hospital, adding: “I have already killed your wife.”
Hsieh fled the scene by car, exited the highway at the Hemei Interchange (和美) in Changhua County, and turned himself in at the nearest police station, the Shengang Police Station, where he was detained at 1:25pm yesterday afternoon.
As Hsieh initially fled the scene of the incident, he did not meet the conditions for voluntary surrender or a reduced sentence.
Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation Executive Director Tu Ying-chiu (杜瑛秋) said that police are unable to provide round-the-clock protection, so after placing a restraining order, people under threat should remain vigilant at all times, report to police if they notice any stalking or harassing behavior and apply for free services available at women’s shelters.
New Taipei’s Department of Social Welfare said it received a report of domestic violence regarding the couple in May and had been providing assistance.
It would fully cooperate with the prosecutors’ investigation and provide support to the family, it added.
Additional reporting by Wu Jen-chieh, Hsu Sheng-lun
and CNA
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